Queen Elizabeth National Park Uganda
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best places to include in a Uganda wildlife safari, particularly for travellers combining wildlife viewing with the Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Located in southwestern Uganda, the park brings together a remarkable mixture of open savannah, crater lakes, forests, wetlands and large waterways. It is home to elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, hippos, Uganda kob and many other animals, while its forests support chimpanzees and several species of monkeys. More than 600 bird species have been recorded in the park, making it an important destination for bird watching as well as traditional game viewing.
The park is perhaps best known for the Kazinga Channel, a natural waterway linking Lake George and Lake Edward. A boat cruise along the channel offers a completely different way of experiencing Uganda’s wildlife, with hippos, elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles and numerous water birds commonly seen around the shoreline.
Further south, the Ishasha sector provides a quieter wilderness experience and is famous for its tree climbing lions. In the northern part of the park, the Kasenyi Plains are particularly important for game viewing, while Kyambura Gorge provides an opportunity to explore a forested gorge in search of chimpanzees.
For travellers coming to Uganda primarily for mountain gorillas, Queen Elizabeth National Park makes an excellent addition to a Gorilla Habituation Experience safari. It can be placed between other major destinations and Bwindi, creating a journey that combines savannah wildlife, water based wildlife viewing and the mountain rainforest of southwestern Uganda.
Where Is Queen Elizabeth National Park?
Queen Elizabeth National Park is located in southwestern Uganda between Lake George and Lake Edward, with the Rwenzori Mountains forming an impressive backdrop to parts of the park.
The park covers approximately 1,978 square kilometres and stretches across a diverse landscape of savannah, woodland, wetlands, lakes, forests and crater areas.
Its geographical position makes it particularly useful when planning a western Uganda safari.
Travellers can combine Queen Elizabeth National Park with Kibale Forest, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and other destinations in the southwest.
For visitors interested in mountain gorillas, its location is especially convenient. A safari can begin with wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park before continuing south towards Bwindi for a Gorilla Habituation Experience.
The journey also offers a dramatic change in scenery. The open grasslands around Queen Elizabeth gradually give way to the cultivated hills and mountainous landscapes surrounding Bwindi.
Why Is Queen Elizabeth National Park Important?
Queen Elizabeth National Park is important because of the extraordinary variety of habitats contained within a relatively compact area.
The park is not simply a large area of grassland.
There are open savannah plains where Uganda kob gather, woodland areas where elephants and buffaloes move through the vegetation, lakes that attract water birds and hippos, forests inhabited by primates and crater landscapes that provide some of the most distinctive scenery in western Uganda.
This variety supports a wide range of wildlife.
Uganda Wildlife Authority records 95 mammal species in the park, including elephants, buffaloes, hippos, lions, leopards and several antelope species. More than 600 bird species have also been recorded.
The park also has considerable conservation and community importance. Wildlife tourism helps create economic value from protecting natural habitats while providing opportunities for communities around the protected area to participate in tourism and related activities.
For visitors, this means that a safari in Queen Elizabeth is not just about ticking animals off a list. It is an opportunity to experience one of Uganda’s most varied ecosystems.
History of Queen Elizabeth National Park
The area has a long history of wildlife conservation.
The park was established as Kazinga National Park in 1952 and was renamed Queen Elizabeth National Park two years later in honour of Queen Elizabeth II following her visit to Uganda.
Over the decades, the protected area has experienced periods of both conservation success and serious pressure.
Wildlife populations suffered during periods of political instability and conflict, but many species have subsequently recovered and conservation efforts have continued.
Today, Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s most important wildlife destinations.
Its history is also a reminder that protected areas are not static places. Conservation depends on continued protection, responsible tourism, community participation and effective management.
Wildlife in Queen Elizabeth National Park
One of the biggest reasons travellers visit the park is its wildlife. The combination of savannah, woodland, wetlands and water creates excellent conditions for viewing a wide variety of animals.
Among the species you may encounter are:
- African elephants
- African buffaloes
- Lions
- Leopards
- Hippopotamuses
- Uganda kob
- Waterbucks
- Warthogs
- Topi
- Bushbucks
- Hyenas
- Baboons
- Vervet monkeys
- Chimpanzees
- Black and white colobus monkeys
- Red tailed monkeys
Not every visitor will see every species.
Wild animals move freely, and sightings depend on the time of day, weather, habitat, season and luck. This unpredictability is part of the attraction of a genuine safari.
Your guide plays an important role by understanding the park’s roads, habitats and recent wildlife activity.
Elephants
Elephants are among the most impressive animals to encounter in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
They can be seen in several parts of the park, particularly around areas with water and suitable vegetation.
Seeing an elephant herd moving through the savannah is very different from seeing a single animal. Family groups can travel together, with adults and younger animals moving between feeding areas and water sources.
During a game drive, your guide may stop at a safe distance and allow you to watch the animals feeding, walking or interacting with one another.
The park’s proximity to Lake George, Lake Edward and the Kazinga Channel means that water is an important part of the wildlife landscape.
Buffaloes
African buffaloes are another common large mammal in the park.
Large herds can sometimes be seen grazing in open areas, while smaller groups may be encountered near woodland and water.
Buffaloes are powerful wild animals and should always be observed from a safe distance.
Their presence adds another important dimension to the game viewing experience, particularly around the Kazinga Channel where buffaloes may gather close to the water.
Lions
Queen Elizabeth National Park offers opportunities to see lions, particularly around the open plains.
The Kasenyi area is well known for lion sightings because of the large numbers of Uganda kob that inhabit the surrounding grasslands. Uganda Wildlife Authority’s park management information identifies Kasenyi as an important lion viewing area.
Lions may be seen resting during the heat of the day or becoming more active during the cooler morning and evening periods.
A lion sighting is never guaranteed, but experienced guides know the areas where sightings are more likely.
Leopards
Leopards are present in Queen Elizabeth National Park but are generally more difficult to find than elephants, buffaloes or Uganda kob.
They are secretive animals and can remain hidden in woodland or dense vegetation.
A patient game drive can sometimes produce a rewarding leopard sighting.
Even when a leopard is not seen, the search can be interesting because your guide may explain tracks, signs and other clues that indicate the presence of predators.
Uganda Kob
The Uganda kob is one of the characteristic antelopes of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Large numbers occur on the open plains, particularly around Kasenyi.
Their presence is important because these antelopes form part of the prey base supporting predators such as lions.
The open grasslands can therefore provide some of the most productive game viewing in the park.
Hippos
If you want to see large numbers of hippos, the Kazinga Channel is one of the best places in Uganda.
Hippos spend much of the day in water and emerge or gather along the banks. During a boat cruise, visitors can often see them packed closely together in shallow areas.
Their enormous size can be deceptive. Although they spend much of their time in water, hippos are powerful and potentially dangerous animals.
Boat guides maintain appropriate distances while allowing visitors to observe them safely.
The Kazinga Channel
The Kazinga Channel is arguably the most famous attraction in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The channel connects Lake George and Lake Edward and forms a major wildlife corridor through the park. Different sources describe its length slightly differently, but it is generally described as a waterway of roughly 32 to 40 kilometres.
What makes the channel exceptional is the concentration of wildlife along its shores.
Hippos gather in the water.
Buffaloes and elephants come to drink.
Crocodiles can be seen along suitable banks.
Birds gather in remarkable numbers.
The result is one of the most productive wildlife viewing experiences in Uganda.
Kazinga Channel Boat Cruise
The boat cruise is one of the activities I would strongly recommend including in a Queen Elizabeth National Park safari.
A game drive allows you to explore the land.
The boat cruise allows you to see the park from the water.
This difference is important.
From a boat, visitors can approach the shoreline from a completely different perspective and observe animals that are difficult to see from a vehicle.
Hippos are often the most obvious attraction, but elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles and birds can all contribute to the experience.
The channel is particularly good for bird watching. Uganda Wildlife Authority lists more than 600 bird species for the park overall, while the channel itself attracts numerous water associated species.
The cruise is also a relatively relaxed activity after an early morning game drive.
You sit on the boat, watch the shoreline and listen to the guide explain the wildlife and landscape.
For many travellers, it becomes one of the highlights of their Uganda safari.
Ishasha Sector
The Ishasha sector occupies the southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park and offers a more remote wilderness experience.
It is particularly famous for its tree climbing lions.
Unlike most lions, which spend much of their time resting on the ground, the Ishasha lions are known for climbing into large trees and resting on branches.
The behaviour is one of the most distinctive attractions of the park. UWA identifies Ishasha as a key area for these unusual lions.
The sector offers more than lions.
Visitors can also encounter elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob, topi and other wildlife while driving through the open plains and woodland.
Ishasha is particularly relevant to travellers continuing towards Bwindi because it lies along the southern route towards the gorilla region.
For this reason, a well planned safari can combine a game drive in Ishasha with onward travel towards Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura Gorge is another important attraction associated with Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The dramatic gorge cuts through the savannah and contains a riverine forest environment where a habituated chimpanzee community can be tracked.
The area is sometimes referred to as the Valley of Apes because of its primate diversity.
Chimpanzee tracking here provides an interesting contrast to the savannah game drives.
Instead of looking across open grassland for elephants or lions, visitors enter a forest environment and follow trackers in search of chimpanzees.
Kyambura is therefore particularly attractive to travellers interested in primates.
For someone visiting Uganda specifically for the Gorilla Habituation Experience, adding chimpanzee tracking can create an exceptional primate focused itinerary.
You can experience chimpanzees in Kyambura or Kibale before continuing to Bwindi for mountain gorillas.
Chimpanzee Experiences Around Queen Elizabeth
Queen Elizabeth National Park and its surrounding conservation landscape provide several opportunities for primate experiences.
Kyambura Gorge is the best known option within the park area.
Chimpanzee tracking normally involves walking through the forest with trained guides and trackers while searching for a habituated community.
The experience is different from mountain gorilla habituation.
Chimpanzees move differently, occupy different habitats and can be considerably more difficult to observe when they are high in the forest canopy.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority also describes chimpanzee habituation and tracking as activities that take place throughout the year.
Travellers who are passionate about primates can therefore combine chimpanzees with the Gorilla Habituation Experience to create an exceptionally rich wildlife journey.
The Crater Lakes
Queen Elizabeth National Park is surrounded by and contains numerous volcanic crater features.
These crater landscapes provide some of the most scenic parts of the region.
The crater lakes vary in size and character, and some are particularly attractive for photography.
The Katwe area is also associated with salt production, providing visitors with an opportunity to learn about a traditional economic activity connected to the local landscape.
The crater region adds another dimension to the park because the safari is not limited to wildlife.
You are also travelling through a landscape shaped by volcanic and geological processes.
The Rwenzori Mountains
The Rwenzori Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop to parts of Queen Elizabeth National Park.
On clear days, the mountains rise beyond the park’s western landscape, creating an impressive contrast between the lowland savannah and the rugged mountain range.
The Rwenzori range is home to some of Africa’s highest mountains, including Mount Stanley and Margherita Peak.
This makes the region particularly attractive to travellers who want to combine wildlife and mountain experiences.
A traveller can visit Queen Elizabeth National Park, continue towards Bwindi for Gorilla Habituation Experience and later extend the trip towards the Rwenzori Mountains.
Bird Watching in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s leading bird watching destinations.
More than 600 bird species have been recorded in the park.
The variety of habitats explains much of this diversity.
There are wetlands, lakes, open grassland, woodland, forest and riverine environments.
Water birds are particularly noticeable around the Kazinga Channel and the lakes.
Depending on where you travel within the park, you may encounter species such as African fish eagles, kingfishers, herons, egrets, storks, cormorants and pelicans.
Bird watching does not need to be a separate activity from a wildlife safari.
A good guide can point out birds during a game drive or boat cruise, allowing visitors to enjoy both mammals and birdlife during the same excursion.
For serious bird watchers, however, it is worth allowing additional time and using a guide familiar with the area’s bird habitats.
Game Drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Game drives are the traditional way to explore Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Morning drives are particularly useful because temperatures are generally cooler and many animals are more active.
Late afternoon drives provide another good opportunity as wildlife becomes active again after the hotter part of the day.
The Kasenyi Plains are especially important for traditional game viewing.
Open grassland allows visitors to scan the landscape for Uganda kob, buffaloes, elephants and predators.
A safari guide can help interpret what you are seeing rather than simply pointing out animals.
Tracks, dung, alarm calls and bird behaviour can all provide clues about what may be nearby.
This is one reason why a private guided safari can be much more rewarding than simply driving through the park without an experienced guide.
Lion Tracking
Queen Elizabeth National Park has also been associated with specialised lion research and tracking activities.
The idea behind lion tracking is different from ordinary wildlife viewing.
Instead of simply hoping to encounter a lion during a game drive, visitors may participate in an experience connected to research and monitoring.
The Uganda Carnivore Program has been involved in research and conservation work around carnivores in the region.
Where available, such experiences provide a fascinating opportunity to understand how researchers collect information about lions and other predators.
Availability and operating arrangements can change, so travellers interested in lion tracking should confirm the current situation before planning their safari.
Nature Walks and Forest Experiences
Not every Queen Elizabeth experience requires a safari vehicle.
The park and surrounding conservation areas provide opportunities for guided nature experiences in appropriate locations.
Walking changes the way you experience the landscape.
You begin noticing smaller details such as insects, plants, tracks, bird calls and animal signs that can easily be overlooked from a vehicle.
For travellers coming to Uganda primarily for gorillas, a forest walk can also be a useful introduction to walking in natural habitats before the more demanding Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi.
Community and Cultural Experiences
Queen Elizabeth National Park is surrounded by communities whose lives are closely connected to the landscape.
Tourism creates opportunities for visitors to learn about local traditions, livelihoods, music, dance, food and storytelling.
Community visits can add meaning to a safari because they provide a perspective beyond wildlife.
The park’s conservation future is also closely connected to the people living around it.
When local communities benefit from tourism and conservation, there is a stronger incentive to protect wildlife and natural habitats.
Visitors who choose responsible operators and locally beneficial activities can therefore contribute to the wider tourism economy.
Best Time to Visit Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park can be visited throughout the year.
However, many travellers prefer the relatively drier periods because roads and tracks are generally easier to navigate and wildlife viewing can be more comfortable.
The commonly preferred periods are June to September and December to February.
The wetter months can also provide excellent experiences.
Rain brings fresh vegetation and can create beautiful scenery. The downside is that some roads and tracks may become muddy, and wildlife can be more dispersed when water and food are available across a wider area.
For travellers combining Queen Elizabeth National Park with the Gorilla Habituation Experience, the choice of season can depend on the entire itinerary rather than the park alone.
Bwindi is a rainforest, so rain is possible at any time.
This means travellers should carry waterproof clothing regardless of whether they visit Uganda during the traditional dry season.
How to Get to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park can be reached by road or air.
Most visitors travelling overland from Kampala or Entebbe spend several hours on the journey.
The route can pass through central and western Uganda before reaching the park.
For travellers combining Queen Elizabeth with Bwindi, the route can be arranged through the southern part of the park and onward towards the gorilla region.
This is particularly useful because you can avoid unnecessary backtracking.
For visitors with limited time, domestic or charter flights can reduce travel time. The exact flight arrangements depend on the current schedule and the airstrip being used.
Your safari operator can advise on the most practical option based on your arrival airport, accommodation and itinerary.
Queen Elizabeth National Park and Gorilla Habituation Experience
This is where Queen Elizabeth National Park becomes particularly relevant to this website.
Many travellers who search for the Gorilla Habituation Experience in Uganda are not interested in seeing gorillas alone.
They want to experience more of Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth National Park fits naturally into such a journey.
You can spend a day exploring the savannah, take a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, travel through the Ishasha sector and then continue towards Bwindi.
The contrast is extraordinary.
In Queen Elizabeth, you are looking across open grasslands for elephants, buffaloes, lions and Uganda kob.
In Bwindi, you leave the vehicle and enter a dense mountain rainforest.
The safari then changes from conventional game viewing to a much more intimate primate experience.
You follow trackers through the forest in search of a semi habituated mountain gorilla family.
Once the gorillas are located, you can spend up to four hours observing them under the guidance of trackers, researchers and rangers.
This makes Queen Elizabeth an excellent addition to a Gorilla Habituation Experience itinerary.
Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi
A combined Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi safari is one of the strongest wildlife combinations in southwestern Uganda.
The two destinations complement one another rather than competing for the same experience.
Queen Elizabeth provides savannah wildlife and the Kazinga Channel.
Bwindi provides mountain rainforest and mountain gorillas.
The journey between them also introduces travellers to the changing landscapes of southwestern Uganda.
For travellers with several days available, this combination can be extended to include chimpanzee tracking in Kibale or Kyambura Gorge.
A well planned itinerary could therefore include chimpanzees, savannah wildlife and mountain gorillas in one trip.
How Many Days Do You Need?
The amount of time needed depends on your interests.
A short visit can include one game drive and a Kazinga Channel boat cruise.
However, two or three nights allow more flexibility.
If you are combining Queen Elizabeth with Gorilla Habituation Experience, one or two nights in the park can work well within a broader itinerary.
A five day itinerary, for example, can combine Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi without adding too many destinations.
A longer safari allows you to slow down and add chimpanzee tracking, Lake Bunyonyi or other destinations.
The mistake is trying to see too much in too little time.
Uganda is geographically larger than it may appear on a map, and road journeys can take several hours.
A good itinerary should allow enough time for wildlife activities rather than spending most of the safari inside the vehicle travelling between destinations.
Where to Stay in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Accommodation is available in and around the park at different price levels.
Visitors can choose from safari lodges, tented camps and more affordable accommodation depending on their budget.
The best location depends on your planned activities.
If the Kazinga Channel is a major priority, staying around Mweya provides convenient access.
If you are focusing on the Kasenyi Plains, accommodation closer to that area may be more practical.
Travellers continuing towards Bwindi may choose accommodation that fits their route south.
Your safari operator should consider both the quality of the accommodation and its location when preparing the itinerary.
A beautiful lodge can be less convenient if it requires unnecessary hours of driving to reach your morning activity.
What to Pack for Queen Elizabeth National Park
Packing for a Queen Elizabeth safari is relatively straightforward.
Useful items include:
- Lightweight neutral coloured clothing
- Comfortable trousers
- Long sleeved shirts
- Closed shoes
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Camera
- Binoculars
- Drinking water
- Light rain jacket
- Personal medication
- Small day bag
If Queen Elizabeth is part of a Gorilla Habituation Experience safari, you should also bring suitable hiking equipment for Bwindi.
Sturdy hiking shoes, waterproof clothing and long trousers become particularly important for the forest trek.
Is Queen Elizabeth National Park Safe?
Queen Elizabeth National Park is a protected wildlife area and visitors should always follow the instructions of their guide and Uganda Wildlife Authority personnel.
Wild animals are unpredictable.
Never leave a safari vehicle unless your guide has confirmed that it is safe to do so.
During the Kazinga Channel boat cruise, remain seated and follow the instructions of the boat crew.
The same principle applies to gorilla experiences.
Wildlife encounters are safest and most rewarding when visitors respect the animals and follow established conservation rules.
Responsible Tourism in Queen Elizabeth National Park
A safari should leave the destination stronger rather than weaker.
Visitors can support responsible tourism by choosing legitimate safari operators, respecting wildlife rules, avoiding litter and supporting local businesses where possible.
Do not attempt to feed wild animals.
Do not encourage guides to drive irresponsibly simply to obtain a photograph.
Do not pressure a guide to approach wildlife too closely.
A good photograph is never worth disturbing an animal.
Responsible behaviour is particularly important when Queen Elizabeth is combined with Gorilla Habituation Experience.
Mountain gorillas are a vulnerable wildlife population, and strict visitor rules help protect them from stress and disease transmission.
Why Add Queen Elizabeth National Park to Your Uganda Gorilla Safari?
If your main reason for visiting Uganda is mountain gorillas, it can be tempting to build your entire trip around Bwindi.
But adding Queen Elizabeth National Park gives you a much broader experience of Uganda.
You can see elephants walking through the savannah.
You can watch lions resting on the plains.
You can cruise past hippos on the Kazinga Channel.
You can look for crocodiles along the shoreline.
You can search the forested Kyambura Gorge for chimpanzees.
Then you can travel into the mountains of southwestern Uganda and experience the forest world of the mountain gorillas.
The contrast makes the safari more memorable.
It also makes good use of your time because Queen Elizabeth is naturally positioned along routes connecting Uganda’s western wildlife areas with the Bwindi region.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Compared With Other Uganda Parks
Uganda has several outstanding national parks, but each provides a different experience.
Murchison Falls National Park is known for the Nile, Murchison Falls and large savannah landscapes.
Kibale National Park is particularly famous for chimpanzee experiences and primate diversity.
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is the destination for mountain gorilla trekking and Gorilla Habituation Experience.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park provides another mountain gorilla destination and opportunities for golden monkey experiences.
Lake Mburo National Park is smaller and provides a convenient stop between Kampala and southwestern Uganda.
Queen Elizabeth occupies an interesting position among these destinations because it combines several experiences in one protected area.
There is savannah.
There is forest.
There are lakes.
There is the Kazinga Channel.
There are primates.
There are predators.
There are crater landscapes.
For a traveller who wants variety, this is a major advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Queen Elizabeth National Park
What is Queen Elizabeth National Park famous for?
Queen Elizabeth National Park is famous for its diverse wildlife, the Kazinga Channel, tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector, chimpanzees in Kyambura Gorge, large concentrations of hippos and its varied landscapes.
Is Queen Elizabeth National Park worth visiting?
Yes. It is one of the most diverse wildlife destinations in Uganda and works particularly well as part of a longer western Uganda safari.
How many days should I spend in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
One or two nights can provide a good introduction, especially when combining the park with Bwindi. Travellers with more time can stay longer and add additional activities.
Can I combine Queen Elizabeth National Park with Gorilla Habituation Experience?
Yes. The two destinations combine extremely well. Queen Elizabeth provides savannah wildlife and the Kazinga Channel, while Bwindi provides the mountain gorilla experience.
Can I see lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
Yes. Lions occur in the park, with the Kasenyi Plains being an important area for sightings. The Ishasha sector is also famous for its tree climbing lions.
Can I see chimpanzees in Queen Elizabeth National Park?
Yes. Chimpanzee tracking is available in Kyambura Gorge, subject to current availability and park arrangements.
What is the Kazinga Channel?
The Kazinga Channel is a natural waterway connecting Lake George and Lake Edward. It is one of the most important wildlife attractions in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
When is the best time to visit Queen Elizabeth National Park?
June to September and December to February are commonly preferred because of generally drier conditions. The park can be visited throughout the year.
How far is Queen Elizabeth National Park from Bwindi?
The distance and travel time depend heavily on which part of Queen Elizabeth and which sector of Bwindi you are travelling between. The southern Ishasha sector is particularly useful for itineraries continuing towards Bwindi.
Is Queen Elizabeth National Park good for bird watching?
Yes. More than 600 bird species have been recorded in the park, making it an excellent destination for bird enthusiasts.
Plan a Queen Elizabeth National Park and Gorilla Habituation Safari
Queen Elizabeth National Park is much more than a stop between Kampala and Bwindi. It is a destination in its own right. Its savannah plains provide opportunities to see elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob, lions and other wildlife. Its lakes and wetlands support enormous numbers of water associated animals and birds. The Kazinga Channel provides one of Uganda’s most memorable boat experiences, while Kyambura Gorge offers the chance to enter a forested gorge in search of chimpanzees.
Further south, Ishasha adds another layer to the experience with its famous tree climbing lions.
For visitors coming to Uganda for the Gorilla Habituation Experience, the park becomes even more valuable.
A safari through Queen Elizabeth can provide the perfect wildlife introduction before you enter the dense forest of Bwindi.
After watching elephants beside the Kazinga Channel and searching the Kasenyi Plains for lions, you can continue south towards the mountains.
The landscape changes.
The savannah disappears behind you.
The hills become steeper.
The forest becomes thicker.
Then comes the experience that brought you to southwestern Uganda in the first place.
You enter Bwindi Impenetrable National Park on foot and begin searching for a semi habituated mountain gorilla family.
When the gorillas are located, the pace slows.
You observe.
You listen.
You watch the family move through the forest.
And unlike an ordinary short gorilla encounter, the Gorilla Habituation Experience gives you up to four hours to observe and learn about these remarkable animals under the guidance of the conservation team.
That combination of Queen Elizabeth National Park wildlife and Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi creates one of the most rewarding safari combinations available in Uganda.
For travellers who want more than a single wildlife encounter, it offers a journey through several of Uganda’s most remarkable environments, from open savannah and crater lakes to the waters of the Kazinga Channel and finally the misty mountain forest of Bwindi.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is therefore not simply an additional destination on a gorilla safari. It is one of the best ways to experience the wider wildlife story of southwestern Uganda.